January/February 2001

Whimsical Wastebaskets
You’ll never think your trash is just a waste when you use these stylish baskets. Their designs are based on a variety of island-inspired themes and all can be found in local giftware stores or interior decorating shops.

Too Tony for Trash?
Laurie Gates Design of California is the creator of the beautiful and practical Malibu line of ceramic wares, which includes this striking, colorful wastebasket. Seashells and seaweed dance together in yellow, pink, blue, and green on this versatile receptacle, which can also serve as an ice bucket or a planter.
    Looking for a basket that’s a bit more formal? Old English-style line drawings of a nautilus, seahorse, scallop, squid, and other seashells and fossil shells decorate this light blue, gold, and cream paper-covered wooden wastebasket. Gilded inside and standing on gilded ball feet, it is made by Canterbury Design of North Carolina. Available at The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum Store, 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, 941/395-2233 or 888/679-6450.

Pitch with Pizzazz
Sea green and lavender stripes, black and white checks, and green and yellow polka dots create a riot of color on this metal wastebasket at Norfleet Interiors, Inc. The decorations have a “Magic Marker look” and are complemented by the basket’s lime-green ball feet. Or order a custom-painted metal basket—perhaps with fish painted in whimsical greens and golds, as on this canister—by in-house artist Penny Pritt. 1554 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-1811.

Work with Watercolors
Lovely seashells, sand dollars, flowers, and leaves are loosely captured in watercolors of whites, greens, and light golds on this paper-covered, gold-rimmed metal wastebasket. Made by the Keller Charles Company, the baskets also come adorned with poppies painted in pastels of pink, light green, and light blue. Available at the Sporty Seahorse Department Store, 362 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-1858.

A Natural Accessory
A gold wash allows dried tropical leaves to adhere to this plastic-lined bathroom wastebasket. Made of an unusual bark-like wood fiber and secured with a metal band, the basket is as light as a feather and can double as a planter. Available at Foxworthy’s Interiors, 2430 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-1327; or 3511 Bonita Bay Blvd., Suite 2, Bonita Springs, 941/992-2223; or 26821 South Bay Drive, Suite 10, Bonita Springs, 941/948-2589.

Lighthouse Litter Basket
Nationally known artist Donna Elias specializes in depicting American lighthouses on everyday household objects, so it’s no surprise that she has dressed up a wastebasket with a rendering of the Sanibel Lighthouse. The depiction looks particularly impressive on a glossy black metal basket rimmed in gold. Elias has cleverly superimposed her line drawing of the lighthouse on a gold-tinged U.S. Coast Guard nautical chart of San Carlos Bay. Available at the Cheese Nook, Periwinkle Place, 2075 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-2666.